No one doubts Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intentions: Sharad Pawar on Rafale deal row

NCP chief has urged the centre to clear confusion over Rafale jet deal.

MUMBAI: At a time when the entire Opposition led by the Congress party has been mounting attacks on the BJP government at the Centre over the deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has backed the Prime Minister, saying ''no one doubts his intentions.''

''People do not have doubts over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intentions,'' the veteran NCP leader said.

Pawar said this in an interview to a Marathi news channel during which the former Defence Minister also suggested that the Opposition's demand to share technical details relating to the fighter jet "made no sense". 

The NCP chief, however, said that there was no harm for the government to reveal the cost of the Rafale fighter aircraft.

"I don't think people have doubts about Modi's intentions personally," Pawar said.

Pawar, however, added that the way Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the government's side on the controversial deal led to confusion in the minds of people.

"Now, (Union Finance Minister) Arun Jaitley can be seen articulating (government's stand) on the issue (instead of Sitharaman)," he remarked. 

The Congress has launched a major offensive against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government over the Rafale jet deal, alleging corruption and violation of rules by the NDA government. 

It has accused the government of causing loss to the public exchequer and endangering national security by bypassing state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in favour of some businessman "friends" for offset contract.

The Congress party has also termed the Rafale fighter jet deal as the country's biggest defence scam of the country.

(With Agency inputs)